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In the last two years nothing has brought more happiness into my world than these two. As much as I love my grand-daughter the more joy comes from witnessing my very own daughter be a mother. For the girl who never played with dolls or preferred never to babysit and barely made it through the summer as a camp counselor she astonishes me with her love and patience with her baby girl. Her quiet teaching, her ingenuity, her juggling of quality time and her natural instincts are inspiring.

She is the best mom I have ever known and I am so extremely proud to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day.

❤

Never a fan of the yellow single wrapped cheese, my very own mother (aka Granny) made a really great grilled cheese she called “mozzarella en carroza” for me. Using an old box grated she would shred “the expensive” cheese into a giant pile and then pack it between slices of white bread, dip it in egg and fry it in olive oil. I loved it then and still love it now. I make variations on the theme, but Annabelle enjoys the classic and does a pretty good cheese pull. Generations of love made edible.

❤

Mozzarella En Carroza

Divide cheese between two bread slices. Top each with a second slice of bread. Gently press together. Trim crusts off, if desired. On a flat plate, lightly beat egg with milk, salt and pepper. Dip sandwiches in egg coating both sides well. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches. Cook turning until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted. Makes 2 sandwiches.

Today is about food. I know it’s been awhile. Moving forward the blog should mirror real life. Lately, real life is less about obvious grief and more about cooking, baking, photography, gardening and that little jelly bean better known as my grand-daughter. Make no mistake. My son is my first thought when I open my eyes in the morning, the last when I close them at night and many moments in between. I celebrate William in all that I do. Like grief, his inspiration is never ending. Enough said. Let’s move on. More food and less grief. I NEED it to be this way.

Do you like deviled eggs? How about Crispy Coconut Curried Deviled eggs? I created this recipe for a contest sponsored by Eggland’s Best. As many of you know (because you have been voting for my entries non-stop) the contest theme is “foodtography” and I was lucky enough to have 3 of my food photos accepted. One, my smoothie bowl cake, made it to the final 4 (woot woot). While voting for the deviled eggs many of you asked for the recipe. Today, I am happy to be able to share it with you.

Slice hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Press yolks through a strainer into a bowl. Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, chili sauce and curry powder; blend well. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Heat 3-inches of vegetable oil to 350°F. In another bowl, mix panko and coconut. Dredge each egg white half in flour. Dip in egg wash to coat and then dredge in panko-coconut mixture. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Pipe or spoon yolk mixture into hollows of egg whites. Arrange on serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and scallions.

This week while sifting through more of my son’s things I found two memory cards in a camera hard case. As I dusted some fine golden sand out of the case I remembered sending him the cards in a care package while he was stationed in Afghanistan.

Seeing more than a hundred photos up on the screen it reminded me of the adventurous boy whose travels took him far and wide to some places I did not recognize. The photos of him and the places he had left a footprint on tugged at my heart, but only a smile emerged. His story may have been short, but his journey so full. I am thankful for that. Yes, I have travelled a long way, too. So, I continue to share.

In light of recent events in Orlando the only advice I have for parents who have lost their loved ones is to hold tight to each other. You will travel the grief road as individuals, but you will need the support of each other to keep you on the path to peace. Honor your loved one, have Courage and make a Commitment to love and kindness always. Share it.

Time to share some good food. Two roads and a recipe is always a fun challenge especially when fusion of foreign cuisines is involved. It’s a wonderful creative distraction that I get to share with all of you in this blogger’s challenge contest. It makes me smile. I hope you like what I prepared with Fortune Brand Yakisoba Noodles. Coming in a variety of flavors check the refrigerated section of your grocery store (Von’s, Pavilions and Safeway in Pennsylvania) for this easy to prepare product that inspired so many other recipes that I had to share at least two of these new family favorites. Today, it’s Asian gone Italian in two tasty noodle dishes. First up is a mandarin orange stir-fry twist on chicken picatta. Enjoy the harmony.

Puncture inner bag of noodles a few times with the tip of a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Microwave noodles on HIGH for 1 minute; set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper and toss with flour to coat. Heat olive oil over medium-high. Add chicken; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Add garlic, shallots and pepper flakes; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add wine; cook for 2 minutes or until reduced by half stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add loosened noodles, Mandarin Orange flavor packet, chicken broth, lemon juice and capers; stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Garnish with lemon and orange slices and fresh herbs, if desired.

*Note: If you prefer not to use wine use additional chicken broth as a substitute

caprese noodle burger

My second recipe includes a classic summer Italian salad topping your favorite burger on a most surprising noodle bun. The bun is a play on an omelet my mom used to make with leftover spaghetti. They not only make a great burger bun, but also delicious as the base for an opened-faced sandwich, too. The noodle buns can even be made ahead and re-warmed on the grill, stove-top or in the microwave.

Place the noodles, water and half the sauce base in a microwave safe dish. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Mix well and spread out on a plate to cool. When noodles are cool mix with eggs, parmesan and 2 leaves of shredded basil. Divide noodles into 4 portions and shape each portion into a 4-inch “bun” on plastic wrap lined plates. Bring plastic wrap up and over the buns to cover. Weight down with another plate and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, basil, 2 teaspoons olive oil and balsamic syrup in a bowl; mix well. Sprinkle hamburger patties evenly with remaining sauce mix; grill or pan-fry to desired doneness topping with mozzarella during last few minutes of cooking time. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Unwrap noodle buns and add to skillet. Cook, 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Arrange a noodle bun on each plate. Top with a burger and some tomato-basil salad. Cover with remaining noodle buns.